Events held across China to mark Int'l Women's Day

Various activities have been held across China to mark International Women's Day, with female participants being treated with specially arranged services or gifts.

In Deqing County of east China's Zhejiang Province, women from all walks of life were invited to a pottery experience center to explore the unique charm of the region's traditional handicrafts and create special gifts for the occasion.

"I hope that all the women in our nation can embody the qualities represented by this ceramic plate I painted: resilience, strength, confidence, independence, and self-sufficiency," said Wang Li, a resident of Deqing, while showing her painted plate.

In Jungar Banner of north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, healthcare professionals reached out to local communities to deliver educational lectures on women's health, encouraging women to prioritize their health.

Meanwhile, the All-China Women's Federation partnered with medical experts in Shijiazhuang, north China's Hebei Province, offering female domestic service workers screenings for breast and cervical cancer, along with physical examinations and health consultations.

"The health package has brought us special warmth, enhanced our awareness of health care, and provided support for us to better engage in domestic service," said Zhang Huixia, a domestic service worker.

Local authorities in Liping County of southwest China's Guizhou Province offered local women skills training in intangible cultural heritage techniques such as embroidery, as well as e-commerce operations, helping them secure employment and boost income close to home.

"We will also organize training sessions in villages, offering both introductory and advanced classes, and introducing courses in cultural and creative products and e-commerce. We will prioritize assisting women returning to their hometowns and those from low-income backgrounds, cultivating skilled women who know how to create crafts and manage businesses," said Lu Yongjiang, vice president of the Liping branch of the All-China Women's Federation.

In Sanmenxia City of central China's Henan Province, a job fair themed "Celebrating International Women's Day and Providing Job Opportunities" was held. Out of over 1,500 available positions, 20 percent were categorized as "flexible jobs" or "jobs near home."

"There are many jobs that are close to home and allow flexible working hours, which is just what I'm looking for. I feel like I can balance family and career," said Yu Haizhen, a job seeker.

Events held across China to mark Int'l Women's Day

At least four people were killed, and ten others injured after Israel attacked a hotel in the Lebanese capital Beirut early on Sunday, the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health said.

Israeli forces launched a drone attack at dawn, targeting a room at the Ramada hotel in the heart of the city. Following the strike, Israel said that the targets were key commanders of the Lebanon Corps of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force.

The drone attack was the first Israeli attack on central Beirut since hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah resumed, according to media reports.

The Ramada Hotel is located in Beirut's Raouche area, a popular tourist district near the landmark Pigeon Rocks along the Mediterranean coast.

All the windows in the targeted hotel room were shattered, and several adjacent rooms and the exterior facade of the hotel building were also damaged by the airstrike, according to a China Media Group reporter at the scene.

Witnesses said the area had been considered safe, and many displaced people fleeing southern Lebanon and the southern suburbs of Beirut had taken refuge here, with some staying in hotels and others sleeping in their cars along nearby roads.

"At night, it was quiet until 1:35; there were no sounds of drones or anything at all. Suddenly, we heard something like a shell—very loud. We thought it was a warplane bombing in the area. We ran and saw smoke coming from the hotel, and glass was scattered in the streets. There was black smoke and dust. We ran to the Ramada hotel on the fourth floor, where flames were coming out. People began to exit, ambulances and information branch personnel arrived, and crowds formed," said Shawki Sharifi, an eyewitness.

Another eyewitness said the area was blocked after the attack, and the injured were taken to hospitals for treatment. Authorities said that there were fatalities at the scene.

On Sunday evening, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) issued a statement, saying that the Israeli Navy carried out a precision strike on Beirut, targeting five senior commanders of Iran's IRGC Quds Force who were meeting at a hotel in the city.

The IDF said that the five commanders, "hiding in a civilian hotel," were all killed in the operation. The commanders had served in the Lebanese and Palestinian branches of IRGC and were involved in providing funding and intelligence to Hezbollah and Hamas, the IDF said in the statement.

The Lebanese authorities have not provided more details about the victims or the incident.

At least 4 killed, 10 injured in Israeli strike on hotel in Beirut